Some reflections on theories of leadership and change and their relevance to a post-1992 university

Abstract

This article reviews some of the most influential theories relating to leadership and the management of change, and evaluates their efficacy in explaining the approach taken to leadership and the management of change in a post-1992 university. It notes that appointment practices to senior positions in such institutions appear to be based on traditional views of the function and role of senior managers. It concludes by showing that many traditional theories of leadership do little to cast light on the approach to leadership and the management of change found in such institutions, and that appointment practices based on such views may be misguided. It suggests that perspectives that include wider sets of variables, and which adopt a post-modernist approach to the understanding of management and leadership, may be more useful to our understanding of leadership and may lead to the appointment of senior managers with a more inclusive approach.